Conor Benn will challenge American Ryan Garcia for his welterweight crown in Las Vegas tonight, a world title shot that seemed impossible after a debut he describes as 'terrible'. The 29-year-old, son of former champion Nigel Benn, has come a long way from his early days in the sport.
A Painter's Path to the Ring
Growing up as Nigel's son initially entitled Benn to a life of luxury, but he was forced to pay his way as a teenager. Despite living in an eight-bed mansion in Mallorca, he earned €20 a day as a painter and decorator. Eventually, he swapped his brush for a pair of gloves and, after a limited amateur career, turned professional at 19.
His early performances left Benn convinced he would soon be pulling on overalls again. "I was terrible," he said. "It's one thing performing in the gym, and one thing performing on the night."
Building Confidence
Benn admitted his confidence came from gym work but did not shine through under pressure. "I genuinely, hand on heart, thought I would go back to painting and decorating," he said. "I was pretty good at it and I'm more confident in my painting than I am in my boxing, that's for sure. It wasn't until my 17th fight against Sebastian Formella, when I beat him convincingly, that I realised I was actually alright."
His career since that realisation has not been without controversy. He failed two drug tests before his aborted fight with Chris Eubank Jr in 2022, only to be cleared to return for a blockbuster double-header against his bitter rival last year. Victory in their rematch set up the shot at Garcia.
World Title Ambition
"Everyone said I wouldn't make it this far," Benn added. "If I believed in what other people said to me, I wouldn't be boxing. But even now, winning a world title won't be good enough for some, so it's not about justification or validation or approval of the public, because I don't crave that, I don't need that. When I look back 10 years I remember how bad I was with no amateur experience."
Benn said the challenge of performing in the limelight at a young age has led him to this point. "I look back and it's been some story, and capturing the world title would be the cherry on the cake," he said. The fight is available on DAZN PPV for £24.99 or at no extra cost with DAZN Ultimate.
